Back to House More local Medicaid coverage could come next year

By Don Reiddwreid@aol.comLANSING ó Two votes and a lot of arm-twisting on Tuesday won approval for Medicaid expansion in Michigan.

This will expand health care coverage to 470,000 low-income residents in the state, including an estimated 2,263 people in Branch County and 2,403 people in Hillsdale County.

The bill must go back to the Michigan house after 17 changes were made, but it is expected to pass easily for the governorís signature.

Sen. Bruce Caswell had proposed a limited, phased-in approach, which was rejected.

"Once it is passed you canít go back," he said of the federal program.

He explained that while†the measure†gives the state billions, there is no guarantee federal funding wonít be cut in the future ó leaving the state to pick up the costs.

Sen. Patrick Colbeck sponsored the other alternative bill that would have ended Medicaid as a state-subsidized program. It would have required high deductible payments from low-income citizens.

"Hitching our wagon to this Obamacare train is a high-risk venture," he said. "If this goes into effect, 30 percent of our population is going to be on Medicaid ó†and then 70 percent†are going to be paying for 30 percent."

Rep. Matt Lori had supported the expansion. He noted currently every private insurance policy subsidized those who donít have insurance by $1,000 a year in higher rates, because hospitals are required to provide services they pass on to paying or insured patients.

The house legislation, supported by Gov. Rick Snyder, also drew support from most of Michiganís major business organizations such as the Michigan Chamber, the Small Business Association of Michigan, the Detroit Regional Chamber, the Traverse City Chamber and more.